Beezin is a relatively new trend in which teens use Burt’s Bees lip balm on their eyelids, which they say enhances getting drunk or high.
A smattering of videos of teens doing this has appeared on YouTube over the past months, and local broadcasters in several areas have taken notice.
WFSB in Connecticut spoke with a doctor who said that beezin could lead to serious health risks, such as causing an allergic reaction or causing an infection that could lead to loss of sight.
“Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus. If you use the lip balm on the cold sore and your friend borrows the lip balm, puts it on their eyelid, the herpes virus could be transmitted from the lip balm to a person’s eye, and that person could go blind,” said Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, who is a medical toxicologist.
Dr. Brett Cauthen told Oklahoma City’s Fox station that beezin may also cause pink eye-like symptoms.
“The peppermint oil in the lip balm is a very strong irritant and can cause inflammation in the eye redness of the eye swelling,” he said.
“It’s the peppermint oil that’s causing the burning sensation and I suppose some people think that is kind of funny,” he added.
Both doctors said that the trend shouldn’t continue.
A representative of Burt’s Bees told the New York Daily News that the balm should be used as it was intended.
There are lots of natural things that probably shouldn’t go in eyes — dirt, twigs, leaves, food — and our lip balm. Burt’s Bees tests all of its products, including the Beeswax Lip Balm, to ensure they are safe for their intended use,” the representative said in a statement.
“We recommend that people use our products as directed and we will make every effort to ensure that the intended use of our lip balm is clearly communicated.”
